Protective effects of L-Arginine on non-heart-beating rat liver graft aginst ischemia-reperfusion injury

Aim:To study the protective effects of L Arginine(L Arg) against ischemia reperfusion liver injury of non heart beating donors(NHBO) in rat liver graft. Methods: A total of 104 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups: normal control group ( n =8),control 1, 2, and 3 group(C 1, C 2, C 3, n =16), experimental group 1, 2,and 3(E 1, E 2, E 3, n =16). For group C 1 and E 1 , group C 2 and E 2 , group C 3 and E 3 , the warm ischemic time was 0, 30, and 45 min,respectively. Liver grafts were flushed with and preserved in 4℃ Euro collins solution containing 1 mmol/L L Arg for 1 h in each experimental group. Recipients of each experimental group were injected with L Arg (10 mg/kg body weight) by tail vein 10 min before portal vein reperfusion. Donors and recipients of each experimental control group were treated with normal saline. Then transplantation was performed. At 1, 3, and 24 h after portal vein reperfusion, blood samples were obtained to determine the levels of ALT, AST, NO 2 -/NO 3 -, and ET. At 3 h after portal vein reperfusion, grafts samples were fixed by 2.5% glutaradehyde for electronscopy observation. Results:At 1 h after portal vein reperfusion, the levels of NO 2 - /NO 3 - in group E 1, E 2, E 3 and group C 1, C 2, C 3 were significantly lower while plasm ET,serum ALT and AST were significantly higher than that in normal control group( P 0.05); at 1 h, 3 h, 24 h, the levels of NO 2 -/NO 3 - in group E 1,E 2,E 3were significantly higher while plasm ET,serum ALT and AST were significantly lower than in corresponding control groups (C 1, C 2, C 3)( P 0.05). The levels of NO 2 -/NO 3 - in group C 2 and C 3 was significantly lower than in group C 1 ( P 0.05), and that in group C 3 was significantly lower than in group C 2 ( P 0.05).At 1 h, 3 h, and 24 h, the levels of plasm ET, serum ALT,and AST in groups E 1, E 2, E 3 were significantly lower than in corresponding control groups(C 1, C 2, C 3)( P 0.05). The levels of plasm ET,serum ALT, and AST in group C 3 were significantly lower than in group C 1 ( P 0.05), and the levels of plasm ET,serum ALT,and AST in group C 3 were significantly lower than in group C 2 ( P 0.05). Pathological changes in group E 1, E 2, E 3 were significant milder than in corresponding experimental control groups(C 1, C 2, C 3). Conclusions:The unbalance between NO and ET plays an important role in the development of ischemia reperfusion injury of liver graft in NHBD. L Arg could attenuate liver graft injury in NHBD by improving the balance between NO and ET.